Mountain freshwater ecosystems and protected areas in the tropical Andes: insights and gaps for climate change adaptation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Estefania Quenta ◽  
Verónica Crespo-Pérez ◽  
Bryan Mark ◽  
Ana Lía Gonzales ◽  
Aino Kulonen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Tropical Andes ◽  
Stream Length ◽  
Freshwater Conservation

<p>Protected areas play an important role in ecosystem conservation and climate change adaptation. However, no systematic information is available on the protection of high elevation freshwater ecosystems (e.g.  lakes, glacierized catchments and streams), their biodiversity and ecosystem services. Here we addressed this issue by reviewing literature and analyzing maps of protected areas and freshwater ecosystems in the tropical Andes. Overall, our revision and inventory indicate: <strong>1)</strong> seven national parks were created with the objective of water resources protection, but they were not designed for freshwater conservation (i.e., larger watersheds), and mainly protect small ecosystems. Furthermore, the creation of new local protected areas was needed for water resources conservation; <strong>2)</strong> we quantified 12% and 31% of lakes and glacial lakes are protected, respectively. Around 12% of the total stream length is protected. First-order streams predominate in the study area, of which 14% are protected. Furthermore, 29% of glacierized catchments (average surface of 677 km<sup>2</sup>)<sup></sup>are protected, and 46% of the total glacier area is protected. We quantified 31 Ramsar sites; <strong>3) </strong>high-value biodiversity sites have not been protected, and ecosystems services information is limited. This review highlights the need for future research to fill knowledge gaps for effective freshwater conservation actions.</p>

Mountain freshwater ecosystems and protected areas in the tropical Andes: insights and gaps for climate change adaptation

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Estefania Quenta-Herrera ◽  
Verónica Crespo-Pérez ◽  
Bryan G Mark ◽  
Ana Lía Gonzales ◽  
Aino Kulonen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Tropical Andes ◽  
Stream Length ◽  
Freshwater Conservation

Summary Although protected areas (PAs) play an important role in ecosystem conservation and climate change adaptation, no systematic information is available on PA protection of high-elevation freshwater ecosystems (e.g., lakes and watersheds with glaciers), their biodiversity and their ecosystem services in the tropical Andes. We therefore combined a literature review and map analysis of PAs of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and national systems of PAs and freshwater ecosystems. We found that seven national parks were created for water resources protection but were not designed for freshwater conservation (i.e., larger watersheds). High-value biodiversity sites have not been protected, and new local PAs were created due to water resource needs. We quantified 31 Ramsar sites and observed that PAs cover 12% of lakes, 31% of glacial lakes and 12% of the total stream length in the tropical Andes. Additionally, 120 watersheds (average area 631 km2) with glaciers and 40% of the total glacier surface area were covered by PAs. Future research into the role of PAs in ecosystem services provision and more detailed freshwater inventories within and around PAs, especially for those dependent on glacier runoff, will fill key knowledge gaps for freshwater conservation and climate change adaptation in the tropical Andes.

Integration of environmental flow assessment and freshwater conservation planning: a new era in catchment management

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 290 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Nel ◽  
E. Turak ◽  
S. Linke ◽  
C. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
Environmental Flow ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Catchment Management ◽  
Freshwater Conservation ◽  
Resources Management

Integrated water resources management offers an ideal platform for addressing the goals of freshwater conservation and climate change adaptation. Environmental flow assessment and systematic conservation planning have evolved separately in respective aquatic and terrestrial realms, and both are central to freshwater conservation and can inform integrated water resources management. Integrating these two approaches is mutually beneficial. Environmental flow assessment considers dynamic flow regimes, measuring social, economic and ecological costs of development scenarios. Conservation planning systematically produces different conservation scenarios that can be used in assessing these costs. Integration also presents opportunities to examine impacts of climate change on conservation of freshwater ecosystems. We review progress in environmental flow assessment and freshwater conservation planning, exploring the mutual benefits of integration and potential ways that this can be achieved. Integration can be accomplished by using freshwater conservation planning outputs to develop conservation scenarios for assessment against different scenarios, and by assessing the extent to which each scenario achieves conservation targets. New tools that maximise complementarity by achieving conservation and flow targets simultaneously should also be developed.

scholarly journals Are We Doing ‘Systems’ Research? An Assessment of Methods for Climate Change Adaptation to Hydrohazards in a Complex World

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Bedinger ◽  
Lindsay Beevers ◽  
Lila Collet ◽  
Annie Visser
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Nature ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Time Scales ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Multiple Time Scales ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multiple Time ◽  
Systems Research

Climate change is a product of the Anthropocene, and the human–nature system in which we live. Effective climate change adaptation requires that we acknowledge this complexity. Theoretical literature on sustainability transitions has highlighted this and called for deeper acknowledgment of systems complexity in our research practices. Are we heeding these calls for ‘systems’ research? We used hydrohazards (floods and droughts) as an example research area to explore this question. We first distilled existing challenges for complex human–nature systems into six central concepts: Uncertainty, multiple spatial scales, multiple time scales, multimethod approaches, human–nature dimensions, and interactions. We then performed a systematic assessment of 737 articles to examine patterns in what methods are used and how these cover the complexity concepts. In general, results showed that many papers do not reference any of the complexity concepts, and no existing approach addresses all six. We used the detailed results to guide advancement from theoretical calls for action to specific next steps. Future research priorities include the development of methods for consideration of multiple hazards; for the study of interactions, particularly in linking the short- to medium-term time scales; to reduce data-intensivity; and to better integrate bottom–up and top–down approaches in a way that connects local context with higher-level decision-making. Overall this paper serves to build a shared conceptualisation of human–nature system complexity, map current practice, and navigate a complexity-smart trajectory for future research.

Mainstreaming adaptation in integrated water resources management in China: from challenge to change

Water Policy ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 895-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangbai He
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Integrated Water Resources Management ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Daunting Task ◽  
Entry Points ◽  
Climate Change Risks

China is facing many challenges in the water sector while implementing integrated water resources management (IWRM). Another daunting task – adapting to water-related impacts of climate change, is also challenging China's water managers. These challenges have been posing threats to China's economic, social and environmental development. While separate efforts in promoting IWRM and climate change adaptation have been made, the approach of mainstreaming climate change adaptation strategy within IWRM is seldom studied. Attempting to fill the gap, this paper argues that there is great potential in synergizing them after analysing their distinctions and common points. By developing climate-proofing strategies within IWRM, mainstreaming is able to minimize adverse water-related climate change risks and maximize the benefits of policies and plans. In this study, entry points of mainstreaming climate change adaptation in the sustaining environment of IWRM and its process will be identified and analysed.

scholarly journals Multi-benefits of national parks and protected areas: an integrative approach for developing countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shah Md. Atiqul Haq
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Forest Products ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Poor People ◽  
Parks And Protected Areas ◽  
Change Mitigation

AbstractNational parks and protected areas can contribute significantly to the needs of poor people who live in and around them and depend heavily on forest resources for their subsistence. Especially for the rural poor who have limited economic options, use of national park resources are the main source for their survival, giving them direct benefits from food, medicine and forest products. National parks can contribute to maintaining the ecosystem and biodiversity conservation, along with the economic benefits to the local population. National parks and protected areas can play a significant role in climate change mitigation as well. Nevertheless, benefits from these areas are not well recognized in management especially in developing countries by incorporating them for climate change mitigation. Though usually more priority is given to conservation, improvement of livelihood and climate change mitigation can be achieved by integrating national parks into management and policy, and by consideration of the potential of human resources. Thus the integration can improve the poverty situation of local people and help them to adapt to climatic change mitigation strategies. Therefore, management of national parks and protected areas should ensure the participation of local communities and stakeholders.

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